Serena Williams beats Pliskova to advance to the semifinals of the US Open

Associated Press

Updated
11:46 pm PDT, Tuesday, September 4, 2018

NEW YORK — Serena Williams began her U.S. Open quarterfinal tentatively. Her shots lacked their usual sting, her attitude its usual conviction.

She was facing the last player she lost to at the tournament. She kept looking up at her coach, as if seeking solutions. After just 20 minutes Tuesday night, Williams was in danger of trailing by two service breaks. Not much later, the outcome was no longer in doubt, because the 23-time Grand Slam champion had taken complete control.

Williams put aside some early shakiness and an early deficit, turning things around with an eight-game run en route to a 6-4, 6-3 victory over No. 8 seed Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic for a spot in the semifinals. It was Williams’ first win over a top-10 player this season.

“I was playing really not a good game,” said Williams, who was a point from trailing 4-1 and did fall behind 4-2 while making 22 of her 30 unforced errors in the first set. “I was thinking, ‘You know, I can play better.’ So that was the good news.”

Pliskova offered this guess about what was happening to Williams: “Maybe she was a little bit nervous.”

Serena Williams celebrates after defeating Karolina Pliskova 6-4, 6-3, to advance to the semifinals of the U.S. Open. Williams will face Anastasija Sevastova in her next match.

Serena Williams celebrates after defeating Karolina Pliskova 6-4, 6-3, to advance to the semifinals of the U.S. Open. Williams will face Anastasija Sevastova in her next match.

Photo: Adam Hunger / Associated Press

Photo: Adam Hunger / Associated Press

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Serena Williams celebrates after defeating Karolina Pliskova 6-4, 6-3, to advance to the semifinals of the U.S. Open. Williams will face Anastasija Sevastova in her next match.

Serena Williams celebrates after defeating Karolina Pliskova 6-4, 6-3, to advance to the semifinals of the U.S. Open. Williams will face Anastasija Sevastova in her next match.

Photo: Adam Hunger / Associated Press

Serena Williams beats Pliskova to advance to the semifinals of the US Open

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Maybe. But that didn’t last long.

Pliskova is a big server and hitter in her own right, someone who briefly spent time at No. 1 in the WTA rankings and was the runner-up at the U.S. Open in 2016 after she beat Williams in the semifinals.

Williams, 36, did not compete in New York a year ago, because she gave birth to her daughter during the tournament. But with her older sister, Venus — the woman she beat in the third round — in her guest box, Williams proved she’s still one of the world’s best.

Still, Williams looked tight at times and her timing was off. She put a backhand into the net to get broken to 2-1 at the outset. Then, down 3-1, she faced three break points; if Pliskova won any, she would have led 4-1. But Pliskova did not manage to put any of Williams’ serves in play on those key points.

“Too strong,” Pliskova said.

This time, Williams’ semifinal opponent will be No. 19 seed Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia, who beat defending champion Sloane Stephens of the United States 6-2, 6-3.

Stephens, who said she had been dealing with a sinus infection, rued all of her wasted opportunities, most notably the seven break points she failed to convert in the first set. She sure didn’t attempt to hide her frustration, either, repeatedly gesturing toward or speaking in the direction of her coach, Kamau Murray, in the stands.

When someone urged her to raise her level in the second set, Stephens replied, “I’m trying!”

“When you don’t play big points well, the match can get away from you,” Stephens said. “I think that’s what happened today. I didn’t convert.”

Sevastova, who retired in 2013 because of injuries and returned nearly two years later, advanced to her first Grand Slam semifinal.

“Still long way to go, I think,” she said.

Especially considering that the next step will come against Williams, who’s heading into her 36th semi at a major.

On the men’s side, top-seeded Rafael Nadal recovered from a disastrous start and other stumbles along the way to beat No. 9 Dominic Thiem 0-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (5) for a semifinal berth at a third consecutive Grand Slam tournament, winning a tussle that ended after 2 a.m. Wednesday.

How tense and tight was this one? Not only was Nadal two points from losing at 5-all in the closing tiebreaker, but he finished with fewer total points, 171-166.

When it ended, on an overhead by Thiem that sailed long, Nadal climbed over net to hug his opponent and whisper words of encouragement.

“I’m very sorry for Dominic,” Nadal told the crowd. “He’s a close friend on tour. He’s a great guy. A great player.”

On Friday, Nadal will take on a familiar foe with a berth in the final on the line: 2009 champion and No. 3 seed Juan Martin del Potro, who defeated No. 11 John Isner 6-7 (5), 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-2.